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I have been very slow at starting this blog, which makes me sad because my mom would have loved reading it. Four days before she died she sent me an email asking about our trip and I didn’t have many answers because I was still struggling to find time to put details together. Now I have the driving and the lodging figured out, but I still need to choose lots of activities and restaurants. That is the more fun part, I think, since it involves fewer calculations and fewer hard decisions. To see all the details so far, including the hotels and houses, click here.

Planning this trip makes me really appreciate my mother because when she took me to Europe when I was 16 she had to do all of this work through phone and mail. I can’t imagine trying to plan this without the internet and email. Mom worked really hard to make that trip special and it obviously had a big impact on me because I still have the travel bug. Thank you Mommy!

John and I go to a new country every year, and though I lived in France during college I never did get to Spain. That’s lucky for us because when our friends Kirk and Corinne called and said “We rented a house in France, come join us,” our answer was a big yes! Kirk and Corinne are the same friends who called us in 2000 and said, “We’re going to China, want to come?” That was another big yes! So the four of us went to China, and Kirk and Corinne fell in love and 9 years later we’ll be vacationing in France with them and their two children Justin and Emma.

Here's the house Kirk and Corinne rented.

I’m really looking forward to this trip. It will be wonderful to spend time with friends, show John some of my favorite places in France (Carcassone and Sete), see the second to last stage of the Tour de France, and explore brand new territory in Spain. Our lodging is a mix of 5 hotels, 2 house rentals, and a 4 night package we purchased from Luxury Link. We are spending 10 nights in France and 7 nights in Spain.

I’m very sad that because of the trip I will be missing my Aunt Lynn’s 80th birthday party on July 17. But as a lifetime lover of travel herself, she promises me she forgives me. Plus I’ll be going to see her in Minnesota on her actual 80th birthday August 21, and I’ll bring plenty of pictures so she can see my adventures. I’ll be thinking of you Auntie Lynn!

Now. I still have a lot to do today. Boy it’s hard to balance a busy life. We got the dogs walked, the chores done (oops–there’s laundry to fold still) and soon John will start grilling his amazing Tequila-Lime shrimp. I still need to write a poem for my online Poetry Group (that’s due tomorrow at noon) and I need to write a piece for my Graduate course in Creative Nonfiction (that’s due Tuesday at 6pm). I need to answer a few student emails too. I better log off before the whole day passes me by.

Zest the lime, then squeeze it. Place the lime zest and juice, plus all the other ingredients in a ziplock bag in the fridge for about 2 hours. Grill in a grill-basket just until pink. Don’t overcook ‘dem Shrimps or they’ll be tough.

I’ve been a sloth for a while now–since my mother died on June 2. John went to the grocery store and came home with all my favorites: cherries, raspberries, strawberries. Later I found that he had also brought home a gallon of butter pecan ice cream, and somehow that’s where my attention went. I have had about a half cup of it each day, and when I eat it I think “I am doing something good for myself because I’m letting go a little.” But when the ice cream is gone, I’ll go back to fruits and veggies, which will feel good too.

Our friends Autumn and Jeff are coming over for a hike today. When folks found out mom had passed they all asked what they could do. “I want to see you!” I told them. Now more than ever I want to spend time with my friends. So Jeff and Autumn are coming and we’re going to hike up to the top of South Mountain, and it will be so nice to see them and get a big fat hug. I’m going to make my egg pie. It’s really simple and here’s the recipe:

Slice the potato into thin rounds (I use my Cuisinart). Layer them in a lasagna pan to form the crust. Pre-bake the potatoes at 350 while you chop veg. Mix the 18 eggs well (I use the Cuisinart to mix eggs since it makes em fluffy) and put them in a big bowl with the cheese and chopped veg. There will be a lot of veg (it’s good for you). Salt and pepper the mixture, pour over the potatoes, and bake until firm.